HUTT RIVER BOARD

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2560, 7 September 1915, Page 3

HUTT RIVER BOARD

A BORROWING PROPOSAL. 'i A meeting of the Hutt River Board' ratepayers was held' at Lower Hutt last j evening, Mr. H. Baldwin (chairman of 'the board) presiding, for the'purpose of considering a, proposal to borrow £5000 for protective works. 'About 40 persons attended; In outlining the sclieme the chairman stated that in July last year the board, seeing that damage was ■threatening, obtained a report from its consulting engineer (Mr. Laing-Meason), and he recommended, the carrying out of certain works in the . lower district, whilst the overseer advised' certain requirements in, the upper <Estrict'. Upon a poll of ratepayers being taken, last October,v the proposal to borrow £5000 for these'pui poses was rejected'. Mr. Baldwin.- pointed out that : considerable expenditure would have teen: avoided bad the proposal been then carried, but the' position had] now become so serious, owing to damage/by. the last flood, that the board had decided again to ask the ratepayers, to-, borrow the ..necessary money recommended by. the engineer and - overseer".'. After, stating in detail how the board proposed to : utilise ; the money, in various parts of the river, Mr. Baldwin replied' to.several questions from ratepayers. Mr. E..P. Bunny quoted loan trail sac. I tions entered into by the board previously. that had proved .successful. Messrs.. Strand and George also spoke in favour of the l proposal. l Councillors Hodgins and Ball also spoke. .. ; The chairman urged ratepayers in their own interests to sanction the loan, in view of the strong recommendations made by experts.